caughtinanetwork | 018 ♫ (voice)

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018 ♫ (voice)

There is a curse upon us. I saw my mark glow last night, and Mitsuhide experienced the same. Yet the nature of this curse currently eludes us. Has anyone experienced its effects?

Speaking of time, there are a mere two weeks left until the New Year arrives. The passage of a year... [Motochika trails off, an edge of private mirth to his tone.] It shall be a significant day indeed.

I hope to see a repeat of last year's celebrations.

[Private to Household]

Gracia, Japan. Mitsuhide and I are going out. We won't return tonight. You shall have to fend for yourselves this evening.

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[Mitsuhide leans into the kiss, lingering for a few moments, before pulling back. Plenty of time for more of that later. ♥]

Come. We should resume the walk.

[He moves out of Motochika's embrace, only to take his lover's hand again. There is still some distance to the lighthouse, after all.]

[Mitsuhide is right; Motochika resumes walking, hand twined with his lover's.]

You have ensured that we won't be late.

[He teases nonetheless.]

[Mitsuhide shakes his head with a smile at that.]

Nevertheless.

[The rest of the walk to the lighthouse is peaceful; by the time they reach the lighthouse, the humour is gone from Mitsuhide's expression. Instead he looks, for the most part, calm, his expression soft.]

[Standing at the lighthouse base, the young samurai stops and looks up. The tall white building is rather impressive; he wonders, briefly, about what it must have looked like when it was in use and cared for. That is something to dwell on another time, however, so he shakes it off after a few moments and shifts his gaze to Motochika.]

So close, and yet so far.

[Mitsuhide hums briefly.]

I wonder how many stairs we will have to climb?

Many.

[Motochika says, as he tugs Mitsuhide gently on and inside.]

But our efforts shall be rewarded. Have no doubt.

[Mitsuhide had intended to wait a few moments to prepare himself; he sighs lightly when he is pulled inside, but does not resist. Motochika is obviously keen to finish the journey.]

Straight into a charge, I see.

[Inside it is a little cooler, but there is not much to see. Like the rest of the buildings on the island, the lighthouse has mostly been cleared out. With nothing of interest around, Mitsuhide focuses on finding the stairs. It does not take long for him to spot them.]

There. Time to make our climb.

[He pulls them over and then lets go of Motochika's hand reluctantly. The stairs are too narrow to climb side-by-side.]

[Motochika lets Mitsuhide go first before beginning the climb himself.]

We have scaled worse.

[His footsteps echo as he ascends.]

I wished for my scales to shimmer like sunlight hitting the sea.

[Motochika huffs a moment later.]

Perhaps we can fulfill your dream, and find someone to give you a tail.

[Mitsuhide cannot help himself with that one. He climbs the stairs one by one, not looking back at his lover but listening to him very carefully.]

[Seconds later he adds:]

I was once locked in the top room of a tower by an old sorceress, who used my hair to climb up and down its length.

[...whelp. That was interesting, if nothing else. Didn't he read something like that in one of his books before? Mitsuhide shakes his head, and then laughs quietly.]

Please do not lock me in this lighthouse, my Lord.

Edited 2012-01-16 16:08 (UTC)

That was poor treatment of your hair. [Motochika remarks, with no small amount of amusement.] Do I remind you of an old sorceress?

[He smirks, allows a beat to pass.]

I will not let you down, Mitsuhide.

[He says, his phrasing a tease in itself.]

[Mitsuhide can only laugh in response, the sound warm and affectionate.]

Oh?

[He shakes his head, and says in a teasing manner:]

If that is the case, perhaps I shall refuse to let you get up and in again.

[Motochika delays his next step, eyes upon Mitsuhide's back; his laugh is rich when it spills forth a moment later, pitched low.]

A cruel seperation indeed. For both of us.

[It takes a few moments for Mitsuhide to realise why his lover is laughing quite so hard; when he does, he pauses for a moment himself.]

That's... oh, good heavens! I did not mean...

[Mitsuhide is rather glad that Motochika is behind him and thus cannot see his face, because right now? He knows he is blushing, and vividly at that. Resuming his walk, the younger samurai sighs in frustration.]

Apparently I do not need this curse to make a fool of myself.

[Motochika does not need to see Mitsuhide's fierce blush to know that it is there; his mind conjures up a memory of what he cannot see. He reaches out to touch his palm to Mitsuhide's shoulder blade, the one he knows carries his mark beneath the layers of fabric.]

A fool? No. You have merely proven yourself remarkably, unassailably pure.

[He huffs a laugh, terribly entertained and endeared. There is an echo of huskiness in his next words.]

Despite my best efforts when we are alone.

[Mitsuhide doesn't stop in his ascent at that, but he does inhale softly. Pure? That makes no sense to him. How can someone who has committed such sins ever be considered to be as such?]

Pure... I don't think that...

[A pause. He really doesn't know how to reply without heading down a gloomy path, so after a few moments he simply shakes his head and says, in an incredibly exasperated and embarassed voice:]

Lord Motochika.

Mitsuhide.

[He replies, warm and promising, unabashed, uncompromising. He lowers his hand, letting his fingertips brush against Mitsuhide's back.]

[Mittsuhide sighs, lightly and perhaps in appreciation. He becomes silent for the rest of the climb, lost in thought despite his previous attempts at banishing the gloomier images from his mind. When they reach the top of the lighthouse he moves away from the stairs, looks over at Motochika and says:]

Well, we've made it.

[The samurai smiles a little, tilting his head as he watches his lover.]

[Motochika walks over, dipping briefly to place down the bag he carries as he walks, before stopping in front of Mitsuhide. He reaches out with both hands to take Mitsuhide's wrist and uncurl Mitsuhide's fingers, and rids his lover of the other bag.

Motochika cups Mitsuhide's face in his hands. His eyes hold Mitsuhide's gaze.]

We have. Just wait until you see our view.

[He strokes his thumbs over Mitsuhide's cheeks.]

It shall take your breath away... just like this.

[Motochika kisses Mitsuhide, slow and tender yet ardent.]

[That certainly serves as an excellent distraction from his more depressing thoughts. Mitsuhide almost melts within Motochika's kiss, welcoming the warm lips and gentle touch.]

[How often has his lover pulled him back from the abyss?]

[When they part, the younger samurai hums quietly and settles a hand on Motochika's left shoulder. It can't be too long until sunset now, surely? Certainly no more than an hour, probably a lot less.]

But which is most effective at doing so?

[Mitsuhide slides his eyes closed, and smiles a little more widely.]

We should find out.

As you wish.

[Motochika says, smiling himself. He drops his hands from Mitsuhide's face and curls one arm around the back of Mitsuhide's waist.

Motochika ushers his lover to the edge, to the view that had captivated him so -- endless sea and sky stretching out in front of them, freedom in its truest form. And it is even better a sight than he remembers, with Mitsuhide warm at his side.]

Your verdict, my love?

[Mitsuhide stares out at the blue expanse, gaze roaming over the sight before him. He knows there is a barrier out there, one that stops them from roaming too far from Vatheon, but right now it is easy to forget that is so.]

[Infinite ocean, endless sky... and out there, somewhere, infinite universes. More worlds than can be imagined, more variety and beauty than can be seen in one, a hundred, a thousand lifetimes and beyond. Mitsuhide inhales softly, and raises one hand up. He stretches it out before him, as if he is reaching for the horizon.]

[Wouldn't it be wonderful, to have a chance to see one more of them? A handful? Even just more of the one Vatheon was contained in.]

It is beautiful.

[It would make his heart soar, to be able to do that.]

Very beautiful, Lord Motochika.

[But when he compares all of that vastness and wonder and freedom to his lover?]

[Motochika is warmth and strength and boldness, an anchor in both bad times and good. A hero to his people and, though the world makes Mitsuhide feel awkward in the context of his own feelings, a hero to Mitsuhide as well.]

[This man has walked through the fires of hell with him, and not regretted it. They have been close since childhood, surviving the pains of distance, and only grown closer as time has passed. Friends, lovers... soulmates (even just thinking about that word makes Mitsuhide blush obviously). Perhaps to others, it might have been a foolish choice, but to him... it was an easy one.]

Still, I prefer the sight of you.

[Which is, in fact, a confession. More than he had meant to say, and yet not a fraction of what he is feeling and thinking. This view has certainly inspired him enough to drown out the darker thoughts, for the moment. Mitsuhide smiles a very private and embarassed smile, and lowers his hand, still gazing out at the distance.]

[Motochika commits Mitsuhide's smile to memory. Fierce love wells in his chest at Mitsuhide's words. Pride too -- knowing that he captivates Mitsuhide as powerfully as he is captivated by his lover is a treasure indeed.]

I am truly spoiled.

[He voices. Though simple words, they are laden with a wealth of feeling. To be the one that Mitsuhide preferred over all others... Motochika would not have it any other way.]

[Mitsuhide's smile does not leave his face, though he shakes his head.]

Not spoiled enough.

[How much has Motochika sacrificed, how much is Motochika prepared to sacrifice, for Mitsuhide's sake? The younger samurai is fully aware of what it means for his lover to refuse to return home without Mitsuhide. The loss of Shikoku is just the start of it, and Motochika loves his island.]

Not if I am fully honest, my Lord.

[He tilts his head so he can lean it against Motochika's shoulder, and closes his eyes for a few moments.]

[Motochika admires the fan of Mitsuhide's eyelashes, dark against his pale skin, before looking out to sea and breathing in deeply, tasting the sea air.]

I have you, heart and soul.

[He is content like this.]

There is no greater gift.

[Mitsuhide could argue with that; he certainly doesn't believe he has such worth. But Motochika does, and right now he is not in the mood to start such a debate. Instead he remains silent for a while, peacefully so, and opens his eyes to watch the sky and sea for a while.]

[This is... home, wherever his lover is. And where his lover should be is under a blue sky and close to the ocean. It's Motochika's natural place. Just the smell of salt water is enough to make Mitsuhide think of the other man, and it has pretty much always been so.]

[After a while he raises his head again, because there are things to do before they can really settle in.]

Well.

[Mitsuhide looks at Motochika with a soft smile.]

I should set everything up before sunset, my Lord.

[Motochika's gaze is drawn back to Mitsuhide as soon as his lover speaks. Mitsuhide usually has his full attention.]

We will do it together.

[He answers. Reluctantly, Motochika removes his arm from around Mitsuhide's waist. He turns and heads back towards their bags.]

[Mitsuhide follows on, tucking his hair behind his ears as he does so.]

Very well.

[The most obvious place to start is with their sleeping arrangements. When he gets to their bags. Mitsuhide draws out their futon, sheets and pillows from the one Motochika had been carrying, and starts to set it up.]

[And then he says, out of the blue:]

You know, I have never thought to examine the patterns the stars make in the sky here. They must be different to the ones back in Japan.

[For quite some time, it had been enough to just be able to see a sky again.]

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